Big Isle Council
shakeup attributed
to staff firings

HILO » Recent firings of Hawaii County Council staff members were linked to a Council leadership change yesterday.

Members of the Council removed Puna businessman Gary Safarik from the chairmanship and replaced him with Hilo businessman Stacy Higa.

The vice chairmanship went to veteran Kona legislator Virginia Isbell after Vice Chairman Bob Jacobson resigned.

The changes were linked to the recent firing of two staff members, although some Council members denied the firings directly caused the changes.

Safarik fired legislative assistant Rory Flynn in January for carrying out an assignment given him by minority Councilman Fred Holschuh.

Legislative Auditor David Kimo Frankel was fired last month by County Clerk Connie Kiriu, who was under Safarik's direct supervision. No reason was given.

"The staff terminations caused a lot of anxiety in the staff team," said Kona Councilman Angel Pilago. Some staff had gone to Council members expressing worry about how safe their jobs were, Pilago said.

Pilago said the "positive" reason for the leadership change was the desire to create broader cooperation on the council.

New Chairman Higa also denied the firings caused the changes.

But minutes after the votes, the Council members held a closed-door meeting with about 20 staff members. Higa could be seen through the glass doors holding an extended discussion with them.

All of the votes for the changes were 8-0, and Council members gave no reason for their votes during the meeting, indicating decisions had been made in advance.

Higa confirmed that small groups of Council members had worked out changes in advance, which is permitted under the state Sunshine Law as long as a majority does not meet in secret to make such decisions.

Safarik had chaired a regular meeting of the Council in the morning but went home in the afternoon "because he felt ill," Jacobson said. Safarik could not be reached for comment.

Pilago said the 8-0 votes showed a strong cooperative effort between East and West Hawaii members.

Under Safarik, four West Hawaii members plus Safarik from Puna formed a majority. Four East Hawaii members were left as a minority.